Professor Clarence de Silva, University of British Columbia, is a recognized expert in the areas of control and process automation.  He has published extensively, and made significant advances in technologies and machinery for Canadian industries.  He holds the NSERC-BC Packers Industrial Research Chair in Industrial Automation; he leads the UBC Industrial Automation Laboratory; he is also Director of the National University of Singapore-UBC Applied Science Research Centre. Clarence de Silva has made valuable contributions serving as editor or associate editor for several leading technical journals, by organizing large international conferences, and in holding senior offices in professional organizations.